US Open 2024 live updates: Taylor Fritz, Jannik Sinner advance to final with tough yet different wins (2024)

The final match of the Grand Slam season will take place Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Jannik Sinner, the world No. 1, will take on an American, Taylor Fritz, for the U.S. Open men's singles title.

Sinner arrived at the U.S. Open following news that he tested positive for a banned substance, clostebol, and received an anti-doping sanction. He parted ways with his physiotherapist and his fitness coach, and the International Tennis Integrity Agency accepted Sinner’s explanation that the findings in the tests were caused by their actions. It found “no fault or negligence” by Sinner himself.

During the tournament, he dropped just two sets en route to the final and won in straights against Jack Draper in their semifinal. Sinner was asked about his left wrist, which he fell on during the Draper match and needed the physio to loosen it. The ESPN broadcast showed Sinner putting ice on the wrist after the match. The Italian said that the wrist was OK and didn't seem too concerned.

Fritz rallied from two sets to one down to beat a fellow American, Frances Tiafoe, in five sets 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1. He relied on his big serve and found a way to win the big points as the match progressed, particularly a 31-shot rally which tilted things in his favor.

For Fritz, he is looking to win his first Grand Slam title. He is trying to become the first American man since Andy Roddick in 2003 (21 years ago) to win a Grand Slam tournament.

Sinner is looking to win his second major of 2024, after winning the Australian Open earlier this year.

Fritz and Sinner have each beaten each other once. The last time they played was Indian Wells in 2023, where Sinner beat Fritz in three sets.

First ball of the final is at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Fritz definitely felt the enormity of this U.S. Open semifinal, where he won the duel with Tiafoe to become the first American man to reach the tournament's final in 18 years. (That last one in 2006 would be Andy Roddick.)

He wept during an interview on the court when asked about the feat, as the crowd cheered for him.

"It’s the reason why I work so hard," he said. "I mean I’m in the finals of the U.S. Open."

And to get there, he said he had to push past being "overwhelmed" by Tiafoe, especially at the baseline, where Tiafoe was taking balls early on the rise to create moment after moment of pressure.

"I was freaking out a little bit," Fritz said.

Eventually, Fritz outlasted Tiafoe with a fifth set in which Tiafoe wasn't really competitive. He got a big cheer as he walked off the court, but the disappointment was clear as he followed a wave to the crowd by hanging his head in his hands as he carried his large tennis bag like a backpack without wearing a shirt.

Fritz gets Jannik Sinner next, who won a very different kind of match earlier Friday against Jack Draper. As Fritz and Tiafoe warmed up, Sinner praised Fritz's play especially from the baseline.

And Fritz said Sunday's final is a moment he has been preparing for.

"I’m going to come out and I’m going to give everything I possibly have," Fritz said. "I know that for a fact."

Taylor Fritz is into his first slam final, defeating Frances Tiafoe in five sets 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the U.S. Open championship match.

An incredible comeback from Fritz after being down two sets to one to force a fifth, capturing the All-American semifinal match.

Fritz’s serve played a pivotal role in the comeback. In the final two sets, Fritz only got broken once. For the match, Fritz had a 58 percent first serve and won 75 percent of his first serve points. He also was the fresher player as the match progressed, hitting big shots from the baseline and getting Tiafoe on the run.


For Tiafoe, he served brilliantly through the first three sets. But in the fourth set, his first serve percentage declined. After losing the longest rally of the match (31 shots), it appeared Tiafoe started to get fatigued. Down 4-5 in the fourth, Tiafoe got broken to lose the set. In the fifth, Tiafoe’s legs looked heavy and he struggled to serve, getting broken three times. It’s a missed opportunity for Tiafoe to make his first slam final, after losing in the U.S. Open semifinals two years ago to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.

For Fritz, after entering this tournament having not made a slam semifinal, he is into the U.S. Open final. He will take on world No. 1 Jannik Sinner on Sunday for the U.S. Open title.

It's sure looking like a Sinner-Fritz final on Sunday.

Too many errors for Tiafoe in this fifth set, and now Fritz can serve things out up 5-1. Tiafoe needs a major run and hasn't even been able to get basic rally balls in.

Lots of people are heading for the exits already.

The crowd saved its loudest roar of the night for urging Tiafoe back in the fifth set.

And Fritz is feeling the heat; he just double faulted while down 15-40 to give away his first game of this set at 4-1.

Of course, that still leaves him with lots and lots of wiggle room. It's Tiafoe who still needs more magic for this to go his way.

This set, and therefore this match, is getting away from Tiafoe fairly quickly.

Fritz earned an easy hold, then jumped on Tiafoe's serve so quickly that fans in the crowd started murmuring and wondering if the final inflection point had been reached.

We might be there. Tiafoe is acting that way after double faulting to go down to 4-0 in the final set. He chucked his racket across the back end of the court, toward his towels. But he picked it back up and is back at it, with plenty of support from the stands.

Taylor Fritz is on a roll.

After breaking to win the fourth set, Fritz holds serve and then immediately breaks Frances Tiafoe to go up 2-0 in the fifth.

Fritz has won 11 of the last 13 points.

Tiafoe looks tired on the court. He's struggling with his serve (2-of-6) and his legs look heavy.

Fritz is hitting the ball with pace and making Tiafoe move.

Can Tiafoe find another gear?

Tournament officials put up a few stats to show how quick this match has played, perhaps in hopes of keeping more fans around for the fifth set as we head into the 23rd hour of Friday in a few minutes.

The average rally between Tiafoe and Fritz has lasted four shots. There have been 151 rallies of three or fewer shots, and 75 of four or more shots.

We'll see how many fans come back, but there are more pockets of visible blue seats pocking the stadium.

The four sets of this match have been more than 10 minutes shorter than the three of Sinner v Draper. Only two deuce games, including that last one, since the first set. And just the one set to go now, as we head into the decider.

This All-American semifinal is going the distance.

Taylor Fritz takes the fourth set 6-4 against Frances Tiafoe.

Fritz never faced a break point in the fourth set. He served at 63 percent, winning all five service games with relative ease. Fritz was able to absorb Tiafoe’s power from the baseline and moved well. He even won the longest rally of the match at 31 shots.

Tiafoe’s first serve percentage continued to decline. He served at 23 percent in the fourth set and appeared to look tired as that set progressed. Back to back double faults did not do Tiafoe favors in that final game of the fourth set.

Like the second set, Fritz needed just one break to win. Tiafoe let that final game game get away from him and now this match is going to a fifth set.

Spot in the U.S. Open final on the line.

Huge moment for both of the Americans.

After another trade of holds, Fritz gets the key fifth game and can force a fifth set either by breaking Tiafoe here or outlasting him deeper in this set.

Fritz has been trying to force the action at least a little bit more, mainly from the baseline as he rips shots deep and toward the sidelines. Sometimes it doesn't work, but it's clear he thinks he needs to make something happen.

Taylor Fritz holds serve to lead 4-3 in the fourth set.

That game featured the longest rally of the match, with 31 shots.

Both guys went back and forth, the rally getting more physical as it extended.

Fritz won the point with a forehand winner en route to holding serve.

Tiafoe's hasn't faced a break point this set. Can Fritz find a way to apply some pressure on Tiafoe's serve?

Frances Tiafoe isn't serving as well as he did earlier in the match.

His first serve percentage in the fourth set is at 47 percent.

But Tiafoe is still on the offensive. He remains aggressive with his groundstrokes, particularly with that forehand, which he uses to find the corner for a winner at 40-30.

Tiafoe lets out a roar. Fritz doesn't have an answer.

It's 3-3 in the fourth set.

Here we go again with the quickness: It hasn't been a half-hour yet and we are already getting to the business stretch of the set, with Fritz leading 3-2 and Tiafoe serving.

The games have taken less than four minutes each, when you account for the breaks for players to sit down during changeovers.

These flurries have made these three-plus sets feel like much less of a grinding slog than Jannik Sinner's win against Jack Draper.

Of course, there has been less vomit in this match, too.

Taylor Fritz grinded to a service hold against Frances Tiafoe.

Fritz got a critical ace at 30-30 before holding serve.

He needs to continue to apply scoreboard pressure against Tiafoe.

2-1 Fritz leads in the fourth set.

The first two games of this set have been about as short as can be without them each going ace, ace, ace, ace.

Tiafoe held Fritz at love, just as Fritz had done in the first game.

It's 1-1. Do both of these players want to shorten points?

That's a commanding start to the fourth set for Taylor Fritz.

He made all four of his first serves and won all four points to hold at love.

Fritz needs his serve to be better in the fourth set. He also needs to apply pressure on the return against Tiafoe's serve.

1-0 Fritz fourth set.

Frances Tiafoe wins the third set 6-4 against Taylor Fritz in 40 minutes.

After getting broken once to lose the second set, Tiafoe immediately responded by breaking Fritz’s serve. It was the only break Tiafoe needed, holding serve the rest of the way en route to capturing the third set.

Tiafoe’s first serve percentage dipped in the third set. He served at 39 percent for the set. But Tiafoe lost only one first serve point (10-of-11) and four-second serve points (10-of-14).

Fritz, known for his baseline game, won only 10 baseline points compared to Tiafoe’s 21 in the third set. He’s been effective with his volleys but came to the net five times in the set.

It will be interesting how Tiafoe serves in the fourth set. If his percentage continues to dip, expect Fritz to take more chances from the baseline as he tries to force a fifth set.

Tiafoe is now up 5-3 after yet another easy hold. There are some points where Fritz just gives up if he hits a return without any pace or precision.

Now Fritz is serving in a must win game, for this set at least.